July 26, 2024:
What Happens Next - Max Lucado
The rapture is imminent. We are in the “fourth quarter” of the world, according to American Christian author Max Lucado. But What Happens Next isn’t full of doom and gloom. It’s a surprisingly positive take on the end of the world. This book is a travel guide, designed to help you prepare to eventually meet your maker. As is the norm with Lucado’s writing, it is relatable and inherently readable.
(Premier Chistianity 7/26/24) READ MORE>>>>>
The rapture is imminent. We are in the “fourth quarter” of the world, according to American Christian author Max Lucado. But What Happens Next isn’t full of doom and gloom. It’s a surprisingly positive take on the end of the world. This book is a travel guide, designed to help you prepare to eventually meet your maker. As is the norm with Lucado’s writing, it is relatable and inherently readable.
(Premier Chistianity 7/26/24) READ MORE>>>>>
July 18, 2024:
The Christians Who Hate Jesus I never once see a Jesus brandishing a "Don't Tread On Me" bravado in the face of dire need. I don't see him lecturing the poor and the afflicted to "pull themselves up by their bootstraps." I can't find him inviting war or celebrating bloodshed or reveling in loss of life for any reason. I don't encounter him trolling those who express sadness or worry or struggle. I don't see Jesus tossing off a defiant middle-finger contempt for those who came seeking refuge in him. I see no arrogance that inflates his worth at the expense of someone else's. Which is why I simply can't fathom Christians who are cruel and yet I see so many of them right now. (The Beautiful Mess; John Pavlovitz 7/18/24) READ MORE>>>>> July 12, 2024:
‘A better understanding of US history’: Okla. Supt. Defends Bible education in public schools Oklahoma Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters is defending his decision to issue a directive that calls for the inclusion of the Bible in public school classrooms. Recently, Walters garnered national attention when he announced that he was changing public school social studies standards to make the Bible more of a focal point in the curriculum. In an interview with The Christian Post on Thursday, Walters defended his directive, explaining that “it is of the utmost importance that our kids get a full understanding of American history.” (Christian Post 7/12/24) READ MORE>>>>> July 4, 2024:
Andy Stanley criticises Southern Baptist Convention over female pastor fallout Pastor Andy Stanley, from North Point Community Church in Alpharetta, Georgia, has publicly criticised the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) for disfellowshipping Rick Warren's Saddleback Church over the ordination of a female teaching pastor. According to the Christian Post, in a sermon delivered on Sunday, Stanley, son of the late Southern Baptist pastor and televangelist Charles Stanley, emphasised the need to "remove obstacles" for those seeking to follow Jesus Christ. Identifying himself as "theologically conservative," Stanley said that the progress many churches were making to reach the lost "is being undermined and reversed like crazy." (Premier Chistianity 7/4/24) READ MORE>>>>> July 1, 2024:
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July 14, 2024:
Christian leaders react to Trump surviving assassination attempt: 'Thank God the former president is alive' Former President Donald Trump was released from the hospital late Saturday night, hours after an assassination attempt was made on his life and caused the death of one campaign rally attendee and critically wounded two others. In the early hours of Sunday morning, the FBI said the gunman who attempted to assassinate the former president was 20-year-old Thomas Crooks from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania. He was killed by the Secret Service, Chief of Communications Anthony Guglielmi said in a statement on Saturday. Here's a list of 10 reactions from pastors and Evangelical leaders across the U.S. following the failed attempt to murder the former president. (Christian Post 7/14/24) READ MORE>>>>> July 5, 2024:
California Baptists Cut Staff, Citing Decline In Cooperative Program Giving The California Southern Baptist Convention, one of 41 regional groups that make up the Southern Baptist Convention, announced this week that it had cut six staff jobs, citing an ongoing decline in giving. Donations to the state’s Cooperative Program, which funds national, international and state-specific ministries, fell short by $170,000 in the current fiscal year. That 7% shortfall is part of an ongoing decline in giving, according to Baptist Press, an official SBC publication. State Baptist officials have drawn on reserves to cover shortfalls over the past three years. The staff cuts, including four layoffs and two voluntary retirements, mean the state convention will not need to draw on reserves — as long as giving does not decline. (Julie Roys 7/5/24) READ MORE>>>>> Z-NOTE: July 1, 2024:
The Christian Right:
![]() The Christian Right is seeing some wins in court while losing in public opinion. I do, however, think there's a double edged sword that was naturally attached to that. Pop culture disowns and mocks them....but they are only courting their own cliques...with no effort to reach out beyond that. Hard to reach people when you spend so much time demonizing them.
If you go by church "membership" or numbers then the Christian Right is headed for a big fail. Larger denominations are seeing a decrease in membership . Large denominations, like the Southern Baptist Convention is in disarray right now. And then there's the mess at Hillsong..to name a few. . It will be interesting to see how this plays out. In a nutshell: standing for "the" Jesus without actually knowing Him...is never going to work. Standing for a Jesus created in your own mind is not good either. Jesus promised we would have persecution....but it would be for His namesake. Not for playing church with politicians. Debate Debate Debate
From my dialogue on a debate siite I frequent. Either it will get interesting, or they'll cower. We will see: From the OP Debate Question: In another thread a Christian made these comments with regards to the bible: Quote: "If it were shown to be wrong it would not be debated anymore. To those who want it to be wrong, it is constantly being shown to be wrong " Questions: (please justify your answers) Would the bible still be debated if it was proven to be wrong? If you want it to be wrong, will you constantly see it as being wrong? Could we also legitimately claim that if you want to believe the bible to be right, you will constantly see it as being right? My Response and counter Challenge: In response to the first question (which will void the 2nd and the 3rd), I will go on record and say that YES, if it were proven to me that it is wrong, then I would not debate it anymore. I cannot speak for others, but I suspect that most would also. There would really be no logical choice but to stop in light of shadow of a doubt proof. Oh, you might have some die hards who will claim there is no fire while their shirt burns up. My challenge to you, then, is to give me nothing to debate. Destroy all my premises. Shake the Biblical record to its core. The ball is in your court. |